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Kerry Family History

Kerry Name Meaning

English: from the rare Middle English personal name Kari (Old Norse Kári). Irish: from Ó Ciardha ‘descendant of Ciardha’ a personal name meaning ‘the black one’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Berry, Perry, Merry, Keary, Terry, Cerro, Jerry, Kerr, Derry, Cerny

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kerry family from?

You can see how Kerry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kerry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kerry families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 318 Kerry families living in Derbyshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Kerry's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Kerry families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kerry surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kerry ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kerry. 12% of Kerry men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Kerry women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kerry were Bricklayer and Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Kerry | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kerry family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Kerry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kerry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kerry

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Kerry. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kerry immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Kerry. For the veterans among your Kerry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kerry military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kerry family history

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What is the average Kerry lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Kerry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Kerry in 1955 was 48, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kerry

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